That WILL to WIN is All That Matters.
The crazy hoops world in the U.S. just upped the ante today when the protagonists for the most awaited NBA Finals have been finally narrowed down between the LA Lakers and Miami heat. And this is when the great debate as to who wins the NBA's O'Brien Trophy. Will it be the star-studded team of Lebron James and Anthony David? Or the pure grit squad led by the electrifying Jimmy Butler and a bunch of hoopsters averaging between 20-year old Tyler Herro and 23-year old Bam Adebayo?
But in the NBA's roller-coaster world, 'it doesn't matter who starts strong. It matters who finishes strong'. And this is when and where PURE GRIT shapes things up. From the legions of American sportswriters, no single media personality gave the Miami Heat a china man's change of reaching this far of the NBA's totem pole. But this is not to belittle the sports forecasts because most NBA teams today are built around true-blue superstars. If your team is not that star-studded, you don't have to scratch your head if your team is hardly in the listed favorites. And if someone did tag Miami Heat as a long shot dark horse, who cares anyway.
But you can't blame the media if the Miami frontliners could be an aging 36-year old Andre Iguodala or a 20-year rookie in Tyler Herro. In the rough and tumble world of the NBA, 'it doesn't matter what happens between the starting line and the finish line. All that matters is you crossed both'. And this is when and where PURE GRIT kicks in.
That WILL to WIN is all that matters. Diving for the ball like there's no tomorrow. Jumping and reaching atop the rim to block a winning shot. The constant pick and roll plays. Those are the hallmarks of a winning team. And credit that to Pat Riley, the NBA's recognized Godfather, the most successful player-coach-front office executive through more than fifty [50] years going from success to success in the NBA.
As this quote goes, 'it doesn't matter where you start, what matters is where you end. Such is life. What matters most is how you fare with the finish line. Were you gasping for breath as you took the remaining huge leaps towards the homestretch? Or did you had enough fuel in your tank way before the finish line?
How did the unheralded Miami Heat reach this deep, this far in the ongoing NBA Season? It's to have enough fuel, enough energy for that last kick in the full quarter. The Boston Celtics were star-studded but they threw a whimper in the dying minutes of Game 6. No amount of talent and star credentials helped them in the finish line.
To cap things off, ‘It doesn’t matter how badly you messed up today. You can start fresh again tomorrow. Just put your best foot forward’.
